The Team

The Office of Speaker’s Counsel provides legal advice to Mr Speaker, the Clerk of the House and all the staff teams in the House.

The Office consists of eighteen qualified lawyers (a mixture of solicitors and barristers), with the support of a full time trainee legal executive and a part-time paralegal. Its work falls into four main areas: general legal advice, scrutiny of domestic legislation, scrutiny of EU and international law, and support for the Joint Committee on Human Rights and the Justice Select Committee.

What will you be doing in the role?

This post is part of the general advice team. The team covers a very wide range of work including issues of Parliamentary privilege, freedom of information, data protection, employment, health and safety, contracts and procurement issues, copyright and broadcasting. They also manage litigation on behalf of the House where necessary.

This post will be responsible for the provision of advice on procurement and commercial contract matters, and will also have a role in supervising and mentoring more junior lawyers in the team and supporting Speaker’s Counsel and Deputy Speaker’s Counsel in the provision of advice in other areas as required.

Candidate requirements

Qualification

1. Qualified to practise as a solicitor or barrister in England and Wales.

 Essential 

1. Substantial post-qualification experience of legal practice, which must include experience of advising on all aspects of the application of the Public Contract Regulations 2015, including dispute resolution and the use of public sector frameworks. Knowledge of commercial construction contracts, particularly NEC3 and NEC4, is an advantage. 
2. Excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to provide clear and concise legal advice on complex issues in a comprehensible and appropriate format, tailoring the message to the audience.
3. Strong powers of research and analysis, including the demonstrable ability to assimilate a wide range of information and reach sound judgments under pressure, often autonomously and without the possibility of cross-checking with more senior colleagues.
4. Excellent interpersonal skills, including proven ability to operate inclusively and sensitively as part of a diverse team, and experience of coaching and mentoring more junior lawyers.
5. Proven ability to advise senior stakeholders in an organisation, gaining and keeping their confidence while providing advice in a demanding and pressured working environment. 

Please submit your CV and covering statement (word limit of 1200 words), to demonstrate how you meet all the criteria on the job description. You can find out more information on the role and the full criteria on the job description.